Thoughts from Hogwarts & Other Places
by Stellina Gatsby
Summary: A series of Harry Potter drabbles because, let's be honest, a large portion of my time is spent thinking about Harry Potter. Ranging from K to T, depending.
1. Into the Fog

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter et cetera et cetera.**

**Further disclaimer: I haven't had anyone proofread any of these.**

Sirius blinked and tried to focus. Everything seemed foggy as he tried to remember what he had just been doing.

He could remember dueling Bellatrix in the Department of Mysteries. It seemed long ago and far away, like it had been a dream. He had fallen through a curtain and opened his eyes to nothing but fog.

As Sirius tried to collect his thoughts, he felt a weight slam into his chest. Someone had nearly tackled him to the ground with a hug. He stumbled a few steps backward before catching his balance.

"Sirius!" said the person hugging him.

Sirius stumbled a little more when he recognized the voice.

"Reg?" he said, barely a whisper.

Sirius put his arms around his younger brother. He hadn't realized how much he had missed him. He had tried not to think about it. Nineteen years of repressed guilt and longing hit him all at once and he hugged Regulus with enough force that it almost hurt.

Then another thought hit him hard. He put his hands on Regulus' shoulders and pushed him away.

"What were you thinking? What the hell did you get yourself into?"

"Oh, Siri," he said, "you have no idea."


	2. A Differing of Opinions

Helga and Rowena sit in the Headmasters' office, playing chess.

"Knight to E5. Check," says Rowena.

Suddenly, they both notice an argument out in the hallway. The ruckus draws nearer and they both turn to the door.

Salazar and Godric burst into the room, mid-row, not noticing the women.

"It's not intolerant! It's prudent!" yells Salazar.

"Oh, prudent my arse! You're a bigot!"

"Boys," says Rowena, "were we going to plan the curriculum for next semester or...?"

"I'm not going to do _anything_ with him until he comes to his senses!" Godric says and storms upstairs.

"The feeling is mutual!" Salazar yells back and storms out a door at the other end of the room.

Helga rolls her eyes and turns back to the game. "Why can't they get along like we do?"

Rowena sighs and says, "Men."


	3. Please Let Me Stay

Lily woke up suddenly. It was about a week into the summer holidays after her second year at Hogwarts.

She didn't know what had woken her until she heard the noise again: a faint, rapid tapping at her bedroom window.

She got out of bed and peered out the window. She couldn't see anything in the darkness. She opened the window and look around outside.

"Lily!" Severus whispered.

She started and hit her head against the window frame.

"Merlin, Sev, you scared me."

"Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"Let me in?" He sounded frantic, like he desperately needed her to say yes.

Lily helped him climb through the window.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again once Severus was inside.

"Can I stay here? Just until morning."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened."

Lily turned on the light next to her bed. They both blinked and squinted in the sudden light. As her eyes adjusted, she could see that something had definitely happened.

Severus had a series of bright red marks on his face; some on them were already darkening to black and blue. His shirt was torn open at the shoulder, revealing scratch marks and more fresh bruises.

Severus looked at the floor and said, "Please let me stay here."

"Severus, what happened?"

He wouldn't look at her. "Please," he said.

"You can stay. I'll just tell my parents."

"No! No, they'll make me go. They'll call my parents."

"No, they won't."

"Yes, they will." He looked her in the eye now. He stared at her wide-eyed, drawing shallow panicked breathes, looking absolutely terrified.

Lily hesitated. If her mother came in to check on her and Severus was there, she would be furious. Lily weighed the outcomes. She decided that the punishment she would get for having Severus there after hours wouldn't be nearly as bad as what might happen to Severus if he went home.

"Fine," she said, "I won't tell them."

"Thank you."

"Here. Let me fix your face."


	4. Undisclosed Desires, v1

**Rating: T, for smoking**

Severus slumped back against the corner between Diagon and Knockturn Alley and lit a cigarette.

He had forgotten that the area would be littered with children this time of year. Mid-August was just the time when all back to school shoppers would be swarming the place; it was his first year not being one of them.

He felt a ping of annoyance that they were all there, getting in his way, and a little at himself that he forgot they would be there. He took a drag on his cigarette.

He looked up to see if there was a clear path to make his escape. Instead, he saw Lily.

She was sitting outside Fortescue's with Potter and Black and a few younger Gryffindors. She was laughing, smiling, looking radiant. Severus looked quickly back to the ground before she felt someone staring at her.

"She's lovely," said a voice just behind him. Severus turned around quick; Narcissa Black was a few feet behind him. "I can see why you're so obsessed with her."

"I'm not obsessed with her."

"Oh please. A blind man could see it. I think she's foolish, picking the golden boy over you."

Severus stared at her, taking another long draw on his cigarette to give himself time to think of a response. He exhaled slowly, blowing the smoke out of his nose, and threw the butt on the ground, crushing it with his foot.

"You're mocking me," Severus said. It was the only thing he could think of.

"I'm not," she said. "I think you'd treat your girlfriend better than he does."

Severus scoffed and put a new cigarette in his mouth. Narcissa took it from his lips and put it in her own.

"Thanks," she said. She took one draw and coughed.

He smirked. "You don't smoke, do you?"

"No."

"Any particular reason you took my smoke, then?"

She shrugged and took a step towards him.

Severus suddenly thought she was far too close to him in a fairly public place.

Narcissa tried to entwine her fingers with his. He pulled his hand away.

"What are you doing?"

"I was trying to hold your hand."

"You're engaged to one of my best mates."

"You don't really give a damn about Lucius." She tried to take his hand again.

"Stop," Severus said, pulling his hand away again. "Don't do that."

"Why not?"

Severus didn't answer her. He took his cigarette back from her and turned back down Knockturn Alley.


	5. Undisclosed Desires, v2

**Rating: T, for smoking**

Narcissa slumped back into a hidden corner between Diagon and Knockturn Alley and buried her face in her hands.

She had just gotten into a very public argument with Lucius, the latest of many. She was considering, not for the first time, what her family would say if she called off her engagement; she scrunched her eyes shut, trying to will herself not to cry.

"I don't mean to intrude..."

Narcissa jumped. She hadn't noticed anyone else in the alley, but she had been rather distracted.

"Severus," she said, "you startled me."

"My apologies. I don't mean to pry, but are you all right?"

"Yes," she said. She sniffled and brushed the tears out of her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine."

Severus said nothing. He put a cigarette in his mouth.

"May I have one of those?" Narcissa asked.

Severus lit the one in his mouth and handed it to her before getting another for himself.

Narcissa took on drag on the cigarette and began coughing.

Severus smirked. "You don't smoke, do you?"

"I'm thinking of taking it up."

"I see. Any reason?"

"I won't bother you with it."

"Okay."

Narcissa tried to take another pull on her cigarette and sputtered. She felt a little embarrassed. Then she noticed that Severus wasn't even looking at her; he was looking around the corner at a girl sitting outside Fortescue's.

The look on Severus' face was a mix of desire, longing, and so much pain that just looking at him made her heart hurt a little. She reached out and took his hand.

He jumped, surprised by the touch, and pulled his hand back.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I don't know. You just looked sad."

He sighed, blowing smoke out of his nose.

She reached for his hand again. He pulled away.

"Narcissa, you're engaged to one of my best mates."

"I might not be for much longer."

"Even so."

"The girl outside Fortescue's?"

He nodded.

"I wish Lucius looked at me the way you looked at her."

Severus didn't answer. He finished his cigarette and threw the butt on the ground, crushing it with his foot.

"She'd be lucky to have you."

"She doesn't think so," he said.

"She's foolish."

"No, she's really not," he said. "Go back to Lucius, Narcissa. He's probably looking for you."

He put a new cigarette in his mouth and turned back down Knockturn Alley.


	6. Aftermath

Professor Septima Vector looked up from grading papers when Severus stormed into the staff lounge. Not that that was a strange occurrence.

Septima put down her quill and braced herself. It probably wasn't a good idea to poke the bear when he was already fuming, but if she didn't confront him now, she would lose her resolve. And they were the only two in the lounge. It wouldn't do to make this public.

"Severus, I have a bone to pick with you."

He turned on her. "Do you?"

"I do. You know Hermione Granger? Third year, Gryffindor. Very bright, excellent work ethic..."

"I know the girl."

"Couldn't help but overhear. She's good friends with the Longbottom boy."

"And?"

"It's not his fault his boggart looked like you."

Severus stared daggers at her. Septima stared back. She had spent years perfectly her unnerving stare. She wouldn't be outdone at her own game.

Severus broke first. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?"

"Obviously you heard about it. Did you hear about what he did to me? How he humiliated me?"

"So take it up with Remus. The boy told him _you_ were the thing he was most afraid of and Remus fed him a solution. Is it really the boy's fault that he's terrified of you?"

Severus didn't respond.

"While I'm on the subject, what have you done to him that his boggart is you?"

"That's none of your business."

"I think it is. They're my students, too, and, as far as I'm concerned, there is never any excuse for being an asshole to children. They're children! You're a grown man. So grow up."

"You don't know..."

"What? What you went through? How hard it was for you when you were their age? That's irrelevant."

"It is _not_ irrelevant!"

"In this, it is. Look. You're my friend. And I'm sorry that your childhood was awful. I really, truly am. If I could go back in time and fix it, I would, but I can't. And neither can you. And no amount of making everyone else miserable is going to make you any happier."

"Septima, I swear..."

"Grow up. Act right. Or I'll go to Dumbledore. I know he lets you get away with murder, but I think he'll be on my side for this."

"Are we done here?"

Septima considered him for a moment. He had never listened to her before. Nor had Dumbledore.

"For now."


End file.
